‘We bridge that gap … as best we can’: understanding the promise of non-legal court support in domestic and family violence criminal and civil hearings—a NSW case study

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a significant problem in Australia, and as a result multiple measures have been introduced to improve the criminal legal system’s response to that harm. Despite this, attrition in DFV-related matters remains high and the legal process remains stressful and traumatising for victim-complainants. One recent initiative to assist adult victim-complainants was the NSW Hearing Support Pilot Program, which provides non-legal support to complainants in civil protection order or criminal matters that proceed to a defended hearing. The authors positively evaluated the Pilot in 2024 and found that it was meeting all its objectives; particularly the central aim of reducing the stress and trauma experienced by victim-complainants. Tensions arise, however, between the benefits the Pilot provides to victim-complainants, and the benefits it offers to prosecutorial efficiency. The sustainability of the benefits of the Pilot, in terms of staff retention and support for marginalised communities, may also be constrained by the continuation of short-term funding. This article critically examines these tensions. It argues the NSW Pilot offers a model of effective court support, and that its core value is measurable by the benefits it offers victim-complainants and its independent role from other legal system actors.